


Bucky vs. Day Camp

by Rainne



Series: Bucky vs. the 21st Century [8]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Gen, day camp, volunteerism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-29
Updated: 2019-06-29
Packaged: 2020-05-30 17:23:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19407889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainne/pseuds/Rainne
Summary: In which Bucky learns about day camp and remembers things about himself.





	Bucky vs. Day Camp

In late August, Bucky did start volunteering at the library, working with the adult reading learners. Occasionally he branched out when he had nothing better to do, helping to shelve books or do other tasks. As a result, by December he knew most of the librarians pretty well. So it was with great surprise that he found himself approached by a rather unfamiliar one the week after Christmas. “Hi, Bucky?” she asked him.

He blinked at her. “Yeah,” he replied, shifting the books in his hand so he could shake hers. “You’re Leanne, right?”

“Yes,” she replied, smiling. “I’m one of the children’s librarians. I was wondering if you could do us a huge favor.”

“Well, it depends on the favor, but probably,” Bucky replied. “What’s going on?”

“We’re having a day camp that starts next week and goes until the kids go back to school, but we need another volunteer to help us wrangle, and Sherry said that you’re in here all the time and you might be willing to help out, so I wanted to ask. I totally understand if you don’t have time or don’t want to - I know she said you usually volunteer with the adults - but I was hoping -”

“Whoa, back up,” Bucky said, holding up a hand. “Start with what you’re having - it’s a what, now?”

“Day camp,” Leanne replied. Then she blinked. “Oh, of course! Day camp is a newer thing. It’s basically a daily activity for kids to keep them occupied and learning while they’re not in school.”

“Keeps ‘em off the streets,” Bucky said, nodding. “So you do one here?”

“Yes.” Leanne dug into her pocket and pulled out a folded up flyer; she handed it to him and he skimmed it, getting a sense of what the “camp” was and what kind of activities the kids would do. Being winter, it was all indoor stuff - arts and crafts, reading, games - but it looked like the kind of thing kids would enjoy doing.

He nodded again, handing the flyer back. “So, you need me for...?”

“We’re short an adult,” Leanne explained. “Miss Carolyn was going to do it, but her grandson got sick and she needs to help take care of him. You won’t have to do much - mostly help corral the ones who get a little wild and maybe help with the arts stuff, handing out supplies and things.”

Bucky studied her for a minute. “You’re sure people are gonna be okay with me being around their kids?”

Leanne’s eyes went hard, just for a second. “If they have a problem with it, they can take it up with me,” she replied. “My uncle was a POW in Vietnam.”

Bucky smiled slightly. “Don’t go crazy on my account,” he replied. “But yeah, I’ll come help. When’s it start?”

Monday morning the fourth of January, bright and early, Bucky rolled out of bed. He dressed in a comfortable pair of jeans and his favorite chunky blue sweater, stuffed his feet into the Doc Martens Steve had bought him for Christmas, and headed for the library. He got there just as they opened up and headed up the stairs to the children’s library on the second floor. It took up fully three quarters of the floor and boasted a huge selection of books as well as a very large activity area, and Bucky smiled at the sight of all the toys and books and bright colors. “This is great,” he told Leanne as he came to put his name on the volunteer sign-in sheet. “We’d have given our eye teeth for a library like this when we were kids.”

“No children’s libraries?” she asked, sympathetic.

“Not really. I mean, there was a section with books for kids, but nothing like this. Mostly primary readers and things.” He shrugged. “All the good stuff was in the adults’ section anyway: the science fiction, the pulp detective stuff, that was what we read.”

“Our kids are really lucky, then,” Leanne commented, and Bucky nodded in agreement.

By about eight o’clock, kids were starting to trickle in; parents or older siblings signed them in. Those who could pay did so; those who couldn’t were quietly allowed in anyway. Bucky helped guide the kids into groups based on age, and was recognized almost immediately by several of the guardians. He refused all selfies though. “Not today,” he said gently, turning each one down. “Today’s about the kids, okay?”

Most of the kids didn’t recognize him; they did notice his arm, though, and all of them had tons of questions about it, so he sat down on the floor with them while registration was ongoing and answered all the questions they had. It kept them occupied and out of trouble until the real activities started - and then Bucky found himself hip deep in construction paper, glue sticks, Legos, and kid-friendly snacks.

They stayed so busy with the kids’ activities that he didn’t even notice the time passing; he was deeply disappointed when two o’clock came and the kids all went home. He helped Leanne and the other librarians and volunteers clean up, and then it was time for him to head home himself.

Steve was already there when Bucky got home, working on a painting in the living room where the light from the north-facing window was best. “Hey, Buck,” he said when Bucky came in. “How was it?”

Bucky paused, then smiled. “It was great, actually,” he said softly. “I like the kids. The kids... they seemed like they liked me, too.”

“Bucky, kids have always liked you.” Steve said softly, putting his brush down. “I don’t know if you remember, but you’ve always been great with kids.”

Bucky shrugged diffidently. “I remember a little bit.”

Steve smiled, coming over to give Bucky a hug. “I’m glad you’re enjoying it,” he said simply.

“Yeah,” Bucky agreed. “Me, too.”


End file.
